University Boulevard shut down for 4 months starting today

Starting today University Boulevard between Bean Avenue and Euclid Avenue will be closed for four months. University is a popular bicycling and walking route. Pedestrian access will remain open, but bicyclists will have to find alternative routes.

Here is the rest of the construction update:This update is for the week of April 30, 2012.

Please note: Roadway closures indicate areas where roads are closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic. Pedestrian access adjacent to these closures will be maintained at all times.

I-10 and West End of Line

This area of the project includes the west side of Interstate 10, Cushing Street under I-10 to Granada Avenue and Granada Avenue to Congress Street. Traffic control in this area is as follows:

No traffic control associated with the Modern Streetcar project is scheduled in the west side of I-10 area for the week of April 30, 2012.

Downtown

This area of the project includes Congress Street and Broadway through downtown from Granada Avenue to 5th Avenue. Traffic control in this area is as follows:

On Sunday, April 29, the contractor will begin placing underground utility across the intersection of Sixth Avenue at Congress Street. This work will necessitate the overnight closure of the intersection while the contractor works in the area. Access to parking along Sixth Avenue north and south of Congress will be maintained. The intersection will be closed as follows:

Sunday, April 29 from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following morning.

ADVANCE NOTICE: On May 7, the contractor will begin removing traffic islands and restriping Broadway between Granada Avenue and Fifth Avenue. Underground utility work will begin as soon as the removals and restriping are complete. The majority of this work will be performed overnight between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Turn movements from Broadway will not be affected.

Two lanes of traffic on Broadway will be maintained during morning and afternoon peak hours. During off-peak traffic hours, Broadway may be reduced to one lane of traffic.

Parking will not be permitted along the south side of Broadway between Granada and Fifth Avenues and along the north side of Broadway near Fifth Avenue.

ONGOING: 6th Avenue has been converted to two-way traffic between Broadway and 6th Street, including the 6th Avenue underpass. This traffic control change will help facilitate traffic flow during the closure of Congress Street.

ONGOING: Congress Street is closed to vehicular traffic between Toole Avenue and Stone Avenue. This curb to curb construction will require 24 hour closures and is expected to be in place for four months.

ONGOING: Motorist and cyclists traveling southbound on Toole Avenue must exit at 5th Avenue. Local business access to the Historic Depot will be maintained.

ONGOING: During Congress Street work, there will be intermittent closures of 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue at Congress Street.

ONGOING: Scott Avenue is closed at Congress Street for approximately four months. Access to businesses north and south of the intersection, as well as access to street parking and garages off Scott Avenue, will be maintained.

Construction on Congress Street includes curb to curb removal of asphalt and major excavation for utility relocations before the roadway is reconstructed with rail. The extensive nature of this work requires full closures 24 hours per day.

Click the image to see a larger version of the map.

Fourth Avenue and University Boulevard

This area of the project includes 4th Avenue from the 4th Avenue underpass to University Boulevard, University Boulevard to Main Gate Square, and Park Avenue to 2nd Street. Traffic control in this area is as follows:

Beginning April 30, University Boulevard will be closed between Bean Avenue and Euclid Avenue. This closure will be in place for approximately four months while the contractor completes the removal of the existing roadway, underground utility work, rail placement and installation of the Overhead Conductor System.

The intersections of University Boulevard with Bean Avenue, Second Avenue, Jacobus Avenue and First Avenue will be closed to through traffic.

Traffic along Euclid Avenue will not be affected during this work.

Third Avenue will remain open during this work.

Sidewalk access will be maintained at all times.

ONGOING: 4th Avenue is closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic between 6th Street and University Boulevard. This closure will be in place for approximately four months.

Pedestrian access along 4th Avenue will be maintained at all times.

U of A and Health Sciences Center

This area of the project includes 2nd Street to Warren Avenue, the Warren Avenue underpass and a section of Helen Street that connects to the Health Science Center. Traffic control in this area is as follows:

Beginning Wednesday, May 2, Second Street will be closed between Park Avenue and Palm Drive and between Highland and Cherry Avenues. This closure will be in place while the contractor completes the removal of the existing roadway, underground utility work, rail placement and installation of the Overhead Conductor System.

First Street will be converted to two-way traffic between Mountain and Cherry Avenues. This conversion will help facilitate traffic flow during the Second Street construction activities.

Access to the Second Street garage will be maintained.

Pedestrian access across Second Street near Highland Avenue will be maintained.

Yours Truly had to get Downtown in the wee hours of Saturday morning. (I had an early deejay shift at KXCI.)
And I'm here to tell you that 3rd Avenue is a veritable expressway for bicyclists. Doesn't matter if it's before dawn or during the daytime. You can get all the way down to 9th Street, then hang a right to get to 4th Avenue and the Underpass.
West of 4th Avenue, there's a north-south street between 4th and 5th Avenues (forgot the name), but you can blaze down that one too. Just be careful at the student apartment monstrosity construction project along 6th Street. Lots of non-attention paying drivers and walkers right around there.